It is known in the art to provide a belt integrated seat system in which a seat belt apparatus for securing a passenger in the middle seat of a bench-type seat is positioned within the seat back itself. However, these belt integrated seat systems are typically used with seat backs having a folding and/or reclining seat back. Seat assemblies having rigid seat backs typically forego the use of a belt integrated seat system as the seat belt apparatus can be easily anchored to the vehicle body, such as a rear wall.
However, modern automotive vehicles, typically trucks, include openable rear windows. The rear windows are either electronically or manually lowered such that the rear window is positioned with the rear wall of the truck in the open position. The placement of the rear window within the rear wall decreases the rigidity of the rear wall as the rear wall is now required to house a window. The decrease in rigidity inhibits the ability to secure the seat belt apparatus to the rear wall as the rear wall can not withstand the load imposed by an en engaged seat belt.
Further, the attachment of the seat belt apparatus to the rear wall of the vehicle includes other disadvantages. Specifically, the flexibility in designing the seat assembly is limited due to the constraints of positioning the seat assembly in a predetermined envelope in relation to the rear wall. Although the seat belt apparatus is optionally attached to a roof of a vehicle, the design limitations are still imposed on the seat assembly.
However, the seat belt apparatus cannot be simply affixed to an existing seat assembly as there are numerous governmental safety regulations related to the positioning and structural attachment of the seat belt apparatus. One safety requirement is that the seat assembly includes the proper structural integrity so that the seat assembly is capable of withstanding the load from an engaged seat belt. Typically seat belt apparatuses attached to the vehicle body are provided with the necessary structural reinforcements.
Thus, there exists a need for an improved reinforcement member for reinforcing a seat belt apparatus attached to a seat back which is independent of a rear wall of the vehicle and which provides the necessary structural reinforcement without imposing seat assembly design limitations.